From April 15–17, 2025, the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia in Staunton will proudly host the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience, an immersive, hands-on traveling exhibit titled “Out of Many, One.” This unique, interactive museum highlights Virginia’s critical role in the American Revolution and is a rare opportunity for visitors to engage with history in an innovative and accessible way.

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Housed in a state-of-the-art quad-expandable tractor-trailer, the mobile museum is part of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) initiative. While many of its stops are scheduled at schools across the Commonwealth, its arrival at the Frontier Culture Museum offers the public a rare chance to experience this exhibit firsthand.

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Visitors will be taken on a powerful journey through pivotal moments of the Revolution—from Patrick Henry’s iconic 1775 “Give me liberty, or give me death” speech to General George Washington’s decisive victory at Yorktown in 1781. The exhibit also sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of Indigenous Virginians, free and enslaved African Americans, and men and women from across the state who played vital roles in the fight for independence.

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We spoke with Paige Hildebrand, Director of Events at the Frontier Culture Museum, about the significance of this upcoming visit:

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“One of the initiatives that VA250 promotes is that ‘Virginia’s story is America’s story.’ While the Revolution may not have started here, Virginia—and particularly the Valley—played an incredibly important role,” Hildebrand shared.

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“We were the breadbasket. We housed prisoners of war. We sent men into Dunmore’s War, which directly preceded the Resolves movement. In fact, some of the Resolves were issued while those men were still away fighting. It gave communities like ours the confidence to begin pushing toward Revolution.”

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“It’s not just Philadelphia or Yorktown,” she continued. “The Valley mattered. And this exhibit gives us a chance to shine a light on that often-overlooked history.”

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Adding to the excitement: the VA250 Mobile Museum is fully booked for the rest of 2025. This may be the only opportunity for people in the Shenandoah Valley to visit the exhibit locally.

The Mobile Museum will be open daily from 1:00 to 7:00 PM April 15, 16, and 17, and admission is free.

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As an added bonus, visitors to the mobile exhibit will receive a coupon for $3 admission to the Frontier Culture Museum that same day.

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From 1:00 to 8:00 PM, the Museum will also feature a special “Revolution on the Frontier” program on its Eastern Woodlands Indian and 1760s Settlement sites. Guests will experience living history demonstrations featuring Crockett’s Western Battalion, a regimental force charged with protecting Virginia’s western frontier. This will be a special opportunity to learn about the region’s Native allies and the lasting impact of the Revolution on Indigenous communities.

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Plan Your Visit

Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia

April 15–17, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Special programming runs until 8:00 PM

Website: frontiermuseum.org

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To learn more about the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience, visit: va250.org/mobile-museum

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